Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 31, 2025

Also in industry news this week: While RIA M&A deal flow hit record levels in 2024 (both in terms of volume and the speed of completing them), firm valuations saw relatively modest gains In its latest annual regulatory oversight report, FINRA joined the SEC in flagging the potential risks to firm and client data from the use of third-party vendors (..)

Financial Planner 245

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Compliance Taxes 245

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 30, 2024

We start with several articles on retirement planning: Why considering a client's retirement time horizon and spending flexibility could lead to more accurate (and often higher) safe withdrawal rates than the simpler "4% rule" Four unique risks retirees face when drawing down their assets, from sequence of returns risk to tax risk, and how financial (..)

Financial Advisor 240

Financial Advisor Insurance Tax Planning Taxes 240

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 3, 2025

And while Black Diamond has cut a deal with Morningstar to be the 'default' option for Office advisors to move to, a host of other portfolio management platforms are offering their own incentives as well, leaving Morningstar Office advisors with an opportunity to evaluate a large and crowded landscape of options to find the platform that will work (..)

Estate Planning 130

Estate Planning Portfolio Management Communication Planning 130

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 6, 2025

FINNY AI, an AI-powered prospecting tool, has raised $4.2

Startup 188

Startup Financial Advisor Clients Portfolio Management 188

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 26, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the Department of Labor released the final version of its Retirement Security Rule (a.k.a.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Commission Communication Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 16, 2024

Notably, this announcement included the first off-channel communication case brought by the SEC as a result of a referral from an RIA exam, which could lead examiners to focus on off-channel communications during regular RIA examinations.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Communication Retirement Commission 246

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 3, 2024

This month's edition kicks off with the news that 'startup' custodian Altruist has completed a $169 million fundraising round as it continues to rebuild the RIA custodial tech stack layer-by-layer while positioning itself as the biggest RIA custodian built from scratch and solely for advisors – which, while making it the clear #3 custodian behind (..)

Risk Tolerance 246

Risk Tolerance Communication Startup Financial Planning 246

Trade Brains

JULY 27, 2022

Tata Communications Vs Tata Teleservices: The Tata Group is one of the oldest and most prestigious business groups in India. Two companies -Tata Communications and Tata Teleservices in the telecom and media sector have given multibagger returns in the past five years. Tata Communications. Keep reading to find out! Data Business.

Communication 113

Communication Engineering Media Government 113

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 22, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the SEC has recently been cracking down on firms for recordkeeping failures related to electronic communications, including their use of text messaging with prospects and clients.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Communication Electronics 246

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Also in industry news this week: A recent survey indicates that about 98% of clients are at least somewhat satisfied with their financial advisor and that an advisor’s ability to provide peace of mind when it comes to finances is a key driver of this satisfaction A study indicates that advisors can potentially boost client referrals by using (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Communication Insurance Advertising 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Also in industry news this week: A new advisor benchmarking study indicates that high-growth firms are excelling in 3 areas: client acquisition, "relationship alpha", and strategic scale A recent survey indicates that while advisors increasingly are leveraging home office investment models to save time and scale more efficiently, they often customize (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner CFP Certification Communication 246

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 6, 2023

In our 109th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards discuss how advisors can approach decisions regarding work flexibility and tactics they can use to communicate these choices with prospects and clients. take on no more than 25 clients to maintain their 20-hour workweek).

Clients 243

Clients Communication Financial Planning Numbers 243

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 26, 2024

The study also identified attributes of "top performing" firms across a range of metrics, finding that they are more likely than other firms to have a clear ideal client persona, client value proposition, and marketing plan.

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Communication Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

Also in industry news this week: A CFP Board study indicates that financial planners with the certification earn 10% more than other advisors and show very high levels of career satisfaction A Morningstar study has identified 4 main areas where investors find value from their financial advisors, which might not match an advisor's own list of top ways (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Compliance Fee Only Communication 246

Nerd's Eye View

MARCH 29, 2024

Also in industry news this week: With the new “T+1” rules for trade settlements will go into effect in late May, the SEC has issued a risk alert for broker-dealers and RIAs outlining the requirements they face and areas of focus for the regulator during upcoming examinations A recent survey suggests that while client satisfaction with their (..)

Financial Planner 244

Financial Planner Insurance Coverage Financial Advisor Communication 244

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 16, 2023

In our 125th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards discuss what it actually means to scale an advisory business, why doing so necessarily requires more staff support, and how scaling a firm is different than merely finding ways to best leverage a firm owner's time. Read More.

Clients 246

Clients Numbers Communication Financial Planning 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 8, 2022

But while the messaging on many advisory firm websites speaks to a firm's capabilities, a better approach to drive engagement is to frame communication around the prospect's needs. First, it's important to make the consumer (rather than the firm) the main character in the firm's communications.

Communication 245

Communication Consulting Clients Numbers 245

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 27, 2023

These responsibilities also extend to the use of any technology used in the process of giving advice: A recommendation made with the aid of technology still needs to be in the client's best interests, while the technology also needs to carry out any function as it's described in the advisor's marketing materials and client communications.

Financial Advice 246

Financial Advice Communication Compliance Clients 246

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 8, 2022

But while the messaging on many advisory firm websites speaks to a firm's capabilities, a better approach to drive engagement is to frame communication around the prospect's needs. First, it's important to make the consumer (rather than the firm) the main character in the firm's communications.

Marketing 241

Marketing Marketing Communication Consulting 241

Nerd's Eye View

AUGUST 30, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent benchmarking study suggests that a number of RIAs are looking to move 'upmarket' and work with wealthier clients by expanding their service menu to include family office services, investment banking, and/or trust (..)

Financial Planner 241

Financial Planner Financial Advisor Retirement Clients 241

Abnormal Returns

MARCH 20, 2023

Podcasts Brendan Frazier talks with Deirdre Van Nest about communicating with clients in an emotionally-compelling way. advisorperspectives.com) A shocking number of people don't have a will or estate plan. wiredplanning.com) Daniel Crosby talks with Emily Koochel about defining and seeking financial wellness. thinkadvisor.com)

Estate Planning 245

Estate Planning Retirement Communication Financial Planning 245

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 4, 2024

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey from Charles Schwab indicates that advisors see technology as the biggest driver of change in the RIA industry, with the growing number of AdvisorTech solutions as the most frequently cited tech-related driver (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Clients Retirement 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 2, 2023

This month's edition kicks off with the news that custodial platform Altruist is eliminating the $1 per account monthly fee for its portfolio management and reporting technology for advisors on its platform, which on the one hand suggests that the economies of scale Altruist has achieved in the wake of its move to become a fully self-clearing custodian (..)

Communication 246

Communication Portfolio Management Clients Tax Planning 246

The Big Picture

AUGUST 9, 2023

Consumer Discretionary Year-over-Year is +52.2%, Communication + 18%, and Industrials 11.8%. We will see something similar in the next few CPI reports, as the hottest year-ago numbers drop off from the 12-month series. The flip side of this is the sectors that got shellacked in 2022 are now showing massive profit recoveries.

Communication 246

Communication Banking Numbers 246

Nerd's Eye View

JULY 22, 2024

But as the firm grows (both in terms of clients and employees), it becomes less about the number of people on the team and more about having the right people in the right roles. In many respects, the ideal team is composed of people who will self-manage themselves without requiring extra involvement from the firm owner.

Clients 246

Clients Communication Compliance Management 246

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

What's unique about Eric, though, is how he leverages a custom-built financial planning assessment he calls their Financial Prosperity Index, which he gives to both prospective and ongoing current clients so that they can better understand their financial health, target the financial planning domains where clients need the most help, and even more (..)

Financial Planning 246

Financial Planning Clients Planning Financial Advisor 246

Nerd's Eye View

OCTOBER 21, 2022

We also have a number of articles on insurance and annuities: As the number of RIA-friendly annuity products increases, advisors remain sharply divided regarding their value for clients. How individuals can purchase more than the $10,000 individual limit of I Bonds, which continue to offer relatively high rates of return.

Financial Planner 233

Financial Planner Retirement Planning Retirement Insurance 233

Nerd's Eye View

APRIL 7, 2023

Also in industry news this week: FINRA has announced that, on the heels of its first enforcement action under the Reg BI rules, it will be ramping up its examinations of broker-dealers for potential violations (after a long period of relative leniency when firms were still determining how best to comply with the rule) A recent study from Ameriprise (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Ethics Financial Advisor Clients 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 27, 2023

Also in industry news this week: Why cash management strategies could become increasingly important parts of an advisor’s value proposition in a higher-interest-rate environment Why improved returns on cash products could be a double-edged sword for some advisory clients following last year’s market volatility From there, we have several (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Nonprofit CFP Advertising 246

Nerd's Eye View

DECEMBER 1, 2023

Jarkesy, which in a narrow sense focuses on the SEC's use of in-house Administrative Law Judges to hear securities law cases rather than traditional Federal jury trials, but in a broader sense could call into question the SEC's (and other government agencies') authority to make rules and enforce laws in the absence of specific guidance from Congress (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Communication Estate Planning Wealth Management 246

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 18, 2023

In our 112th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards discuss best practices for gracefully letting an employee go when the advisory firm owner decides they no longer want to grow into a business but would rather revert to being a solo advisor instead.

Communication 244

Communication Management Clients Numbers 244

Nerd's Eye View

MAY 31, 2024

Going beyond FPA’s existing PlannerSearch tool, the narrowed-down list is meant to help consumers identify a focused subset of the most reputable planners. Also in industry news this week: Legislation that has passed through the U.S.

Financial Planner 238

Financial Planner Ethics Taxes Financial Advisor 238

Nerd's Eye View

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

But how much do these numbers really matter for financial advisors driving the growth of their businesses? As a starting point, understanding which metrics are actually relevant to the business is crucial for advisors to discern the right path toward actively engaging an audience with their content. Read More.

Media 226

Media Numbers Clients Marketing 226

Nerd's Eye View

JUNE 17, 2024

Further, advisers can potentially reduce the number of negative reviews received by ensuring that prospect and client relationships that do not work out (e.g., Next , by taking a proactive approach to reinforcing where they add value (e.g., when a prospect does not meet the firm’s asset minimum) are handled respectfully (e.g.,

Financial Advising 246

Financial Advising Compliance Advertising Marketing 246

Nerd's Eye View

JANUARY 12, 2024

Also in industry news this week: The Department of Labor (DoL) this week published a final rule delineating what makes an individual an independent contractor versus a company employee, though it did not provide specific guidance for registered representatives of broker-dealers and other financial professionals who have expressed concern that their (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Financial Advisor Commission Budgeting 246

Nerd's Eye View

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Also in industry news this week: A legal challenge to FINRA's operations as a self-regulatory organization has the potential to upend the current regulatory system for broker-dealers and their registered representatives A recent study indicates that while many consumers appear confident handling their finances on a 'DIY' basis during their careers, (..)

Financial Planner 246

Financial Planner Strategic Planning Retirement Planning Retirement 246

Nerd's Eye View

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

From there, the latest highlights also feature a number of other interesting advisor technology announcements, including: Orion’s Redtail launches “Redtail Campaigns” in partnership with Snappy Kraken to facilitate CRM-based drip marketing emails.

Risk Tolerance 241

Risk Tolerance Compliance Startup Clients 241